For the mystery lover who wants a close up effect away from the general run of things, this oddity should fill the bill.
Four white squares of pasteboard are used. Each is about an inch and a quarter square and they may be cut from standard index card stock, or even by cutting a couple of business cards in half. Squaring them together the performer takes from his pocket an ordinary ticket punch with which he deliberately makes a hole through the center of the squared up pasteboards. One of these is given the watcher and he’s asked to pick up one of the punched out bits from wherever it has fallen and try to put it back in place. The performer does the same with the remaining three, and without an untoward move of any kind returns the three pasteboards to the spectator completely and unmistakably restored.
There are a couple of extremely subtle details employed which make the working of the effect very clean and aboveboard. We’ll start from the very beginning of the preparation. Take a card and smear some black ink on it. With your punch, blow out a piece, and stick it, with rubber cement, in the center of the corner square on any white card. That is, have a card about two and a half inches square at the start, and it is this that you openly can cut into the 4 equal squares that you use. Or, these squares may be cut from the end of an ordinary index card and the rest of it tossed aside. At any rate, when the squares are obtained, on the center of the back of one is attached the blackened punch out bit. From another white card punch three pieces, leaving them in the punch.
Take out the prepared card and cut yourself four equally sized pieces. Hold them in the left hand with its back to the audience and the thumb towards yourself. It is just as well not to have a light behind you. The prepared square is on the side of the packet nearest you with the attached bit facing you.
As you reach for the punch with the right hand, draw back the three hindmost cards until the center of the front card is exposed. Punch a hole in the center of the front card (presumably all four cards), and let the four little punched out bits fall to the table or floor.
Put the punch aside, take out a sharpened pencil and poke it through the hole (s) from behind forwards. As soon as the point is withdrawn slide the three back cards even with the front one. Turn the whole packet over which brings the attached piece to the front and the genuine hole to the rear nearest you. As you are holding the packet in front of you, everything appears normal. This is especially so when the right fingers withdraw the back card, and as you explain that the spectator shall assist in the feat, those watching see, for a second, more than one punched out hole without it being specifically called to their attention. Toss the right hand card to the spectator and ask him to pick up one of the punched out bits. You pick up the other three pieces being certain to hold the squares in view so that there can be no question of your making a switch. And during the action your left first fingernail removes the black dot and keeps its absence covered for the moment. You may now appear to moisten the picked up bits at your fingertips and actually swallow them with alacrity and comparative immunity.
The three cards are snapped, openly shown, and tossed out. The spectator is still struggling (we hope) with that itty witty bit of punched out pasteboard in an effort to do what you have done with the greatest of ease.
Loose ends gathered up. Ink a card on BOTH sides, instead of but one, and punch out the decoy bit. Then it won’t fall to the floor wrong side up, when flicked off, and give them a fifth piece to worry about. It might also be effective to hold the original card and let one or more people sign it in different directions, on the unprepared side, of course. Then you cut it in four pieces and proceed. Afterwards, they can put them together, one with a hole and three restored (?) and be certain of no exchange. People often are very suspicious of a magician.
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